Battalion Wars

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Action and real-time strategy elements are successfully married in this surprisingly enjoyable war game. Full review.

By Matt Casamassina

Battalion Wars used to be part of -- and still belongs with -- the Advance Wars universe. The game shares so many similarities with its handheld-based brethren that it's impossible to ignore the influences. Both franchises, for example, pit players in control of military squads and challenge them to manage units and both games hide surprisingly well-crafted strategy systems under their relaxed, comic book style exteriors.

But there are major differences and it's these separations that undoubtedly kept Kuju's ambitious game from being an official sequel in the Advance Wars universe. Nintendo's portable games emphasize turn-based strategy. Battalion Wars is alternatively focused on a blend of real-time action and strategy. Meanwhile, Advance Wars features a competent multiplayer mode and Battalion Wars lacks one.

So do these truths make Battalion Wars a poor imitation of Nintendo's handheld titles? Perhaps in the hands of a lesser development studio, yes, but Kuju has done a commendable job of re-imagining the original play mechanics for action fans and the end result is a game that's unexpectedly entertaining if not at times great.

The Facts

Action/real-time-strategy inspired by the Advance Wars franchise

Command squads of Frontier troops and fight against the enemy

Take control of individual soldiers or direct entire units

A plethora of different unit types to control

Pilot ground and air-based vehicles with realistic physics

More than 20 levels spanning several unique terrains

A wide array of different mission objectives means each level is unique

Comic book-like art style gives the game an original look

Full-motion animated cut-sequences drive the original storyline

Characters come to life with in-game voice acting

No multiplayer mode of any kind

Runs in progressive-scan mode

Runs in 16x9 widescreen

Supports Dolby Pro Logic II

War is FunIf books are judged by their covers then Battalion Wars is very likely to give gamers the wrong impression. Despite its cuddly graphic style and humorous presentation, it is at its core a battle-heavy war game. Gunfights rage. Buildings explode and yes, soldiers do die. Similarly, consumers who pick up the title expecting a bare bones action romp for their little brothers will be making a misguided purchase. Kuju's game has its share of straightforward shooting, but players unable to simultaneously strategize and manage their units will not survive long. This is a smarter and more satisfying game than one might initially expect -- we have to admit that it certainly took us by surprise.

Battalion Wars stands out from the majority of Nintendo-published games in that it features a storyline brought to life with surprisingly adept full-motion animation sequences. These scenes play like 1950s-style military propaganda movies, setting up the heroic Western Frontier as the defender of democracy and the evil Tundran Army as the brutal enemy attacker. There are all sorts of humorous character clichés in place. For instance, the loud-mouthed, flat-topped, cigar-smoking General Herman barks out commands to the Western Frontier units while the clearly Cold War inspired Tzar Gorgi speaks with an exaggerated Russian accent and fears change.

Despite the basic setup, which is simply that the Tundran Forces have started war with the Western Frontier, there are some entertaining story twists along the way, which unfold both in crisp cinematics and real-time exchanges. Mostly well acted, though undeniably over the top voice work, helps further define each army's commanders. It's hard not to laugh at the threats coming from Gorgi as battles rage. However, mission briefings from the ultra cheery Betty have proven to be too much for some spectators, who actually asked us if there's an option to turn the voice work off. Incidentally, there isn't. As the game progresses, players learn of a third army, an evil nation of industrial Teutonic vampires called the Xylvanians, and these guys add an extra layer of color to the experience.

Action and Strategy CombinedWe've already stated that Battalion Wars is different from its Advance Wars ancestors in that it offers a real-time action-strategy experience, but let's define what that really means. Players control in real-time battalions of soldiers, land-based vehicles and aircraft through environments. They can take command of an individual solder if they so desire, at which point they're able to maneuver him about the world, jump, lock onto targets and shoot at enemies or objects. Control is tight and balanced, which makes roaming the landscapes an intuitive and fun experience. Players can and indeed must also micromanage their units even as they are in control of a single soldier or vehicle. This is where the mostly flexible strategic element comes into play. Thankfully, the management system is quickly accessible and easy to use with only a couple of exceptions.